Using data to support your team through organisational change

This is a guest blog by REC Business partner, Wotter

Change in a recruitment business can be both a growth opportunity and a stress test. Whether it’s a restructure, a shift in markets, or a new leadership team, the uncertainty can unsettle even the most resilient staff. Left unchecked, this can lead to dips in morale, productivity, and retention. The good news is that data can help you stay informed; before, during, and after the change, so decisions are grounded in reality, not guesswork. 

Measuring the “before” 

The starting point is to understand your baseline. By collecting data on how your people feel before any change is implemented, you can establish a benchmark against which future shifts can be measured. This might involve regular pulse surveys, anonymous Q&As, or structured check-ins, or a combination of all three. 

For example, platforms like Wotter allow businesses to run algorithm-driven questions that respond to the answers given and validate the areas most under strain, providing a focused view rather than a scattergun approach.  

This data can be used to draw insights for leadership teams, HR, and managers to dig a little deeper into their teams and show that concerns are being listened to. 

Tracking the “during” 

As change unfolds, staff sentiment can fluctuate rapidly. Having a way to track these changes in real time means you can intervene early, before issues escalate into disengagement or turnover. You might focus on “friction points” such as clarity of communication, workload distribution, or team cohesion. 

Some organisations also break feedback down by demographic or role to see if different groups are experiencing the change in different ways, which is a principle Wotter builds into its DEI reporting. This helps leaders to truly understand how different people within the organisation are experiencing the change, and lets them tailor responses to those most affected, rather than applying a blanket solution. 

Understanding the “after” 

Once the dust has settled, the final step is to measure again. This isn’t just about declaring the change a success or failure; it’s about understanding the long-term impact, identifying lessons learned, and recognising wins you can build on. 

Reviewing after-the-fact data also helps counteract the natural bias of memory. People’s recollection of a change process can be coloured by its outcome; having objective measures keeps the story accurate. 

A real-world example 

One mid-sized recruitment firm we worked with went through a major organisational restructure. Roles changed, reporting lines shifted, and some redundancies were made. Senior leaders braced for a prolonged slump-in morale and performance. 

But the data told a more layered story. Before the change, feedback showed that while the overall vision was well-received, trust in leadership communication was already lower than average. During the change, regular check-ins confirmed this was the key pain point, but other metrics, like team camaraderie and client confidence, held steady. 

Armed with this insight, leaders concentrated on transparent, frequent updates and open Q&A sessions. They didn’t waste energy “fixing” areas that were holding up well, and they resisted making reactive changes based on isolated complaints. 

Three months later, post-change data showed trust scores had recovered and engagement levels had risen above pre-change benchmarks. Without structured measurement, leaders said that they would have been lost if they were working with what they felt were the issues at the time, trying to fix things that weren't problems and completely missing what mattered to their people. 

The bottom line 

In recruitment, change is inevitable, but its impact isn’t fixed. By taking a disciplined approach to measuring sentiment before, during, and after change, and by paying close attention to the experiences of different groups, leaders can guide their teams through uncertainty with clarity and confidence. 

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